Whether it is because of high prices, large crowds or simply Instagram overselling the reality, a lot of the UK’s most popular attractions are a massive letdown when you visit them in real life. Sadly, it is some of the most famous ones that are the most disappointing.
Click through the gallery to discover the UK attractions that the users of Reddit and Tripadvisor – and the authors of a few commissioned studies – have found to be the most disappointing…
This megalithic stone circle on Salisbury Plain is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world and also one of the most mysterious. Built in six stages between 3000 and 1520 BC, no one is really sure how it was constructed or why. Some say it was a place of healing and worship. Others, like American astronomer Gerald Hawkins say it was a giant ‘computer’ used to predict lunar and solar eclipses. Whatever its purpose, it continues to have an irresistible hold on the global imagination with over 1.3 million people visiting the site each year.
While the English Heritage website invites visitors to 'experience the unforgettable atmosphere of the Stone Circle’ and ‘follow in the footsteps of the prehistoric people who lived here 4,000 years ago’, many of those that do are left underwhelmed. In fact, a recent survey commissioned by Rough Guides saw Stonehenge named as the most overrated attraction in the world. Respondents labelled it overpriced and overcommercialised, with many disappointed that they were kept so far away from the structure.
This neon-lit square in the heart of London opened in 1819 and was designed by John Nash as a way of linking Piccadilly with Regent Street. It is famous for its neon signs, with the first illuminated billboard, for Perrier sparkling water, appearing in 1908. Bright and brash, it became a lively symbol of London, especially during the Swinging Sixties, when the city was the centre of everything that was hip and cool at the time. The steps of its stone island, topped by a statue of Eros, became a popular meeting place.
Sadly, the square that was once dubbed ‘the epicentre of the world’ has lost its way, falling into a malaise after decades of neglect. The neon signs still burn brightly. Crowds still gather on the steps around Eros. But the stately Edwardian buildings that were once home to department stores, elegant restaurants and upmarket entertainment venues now lay empty, or worse, house garish American candy stores. Visitors expecting it to be London’s version of Times Square are left extremely disappointed.
Whether they were built by fighting giants or formed by volcanoes over 60 million years ago, the 40,000 or so hexagonal-shaped stepping stones that form the Giant’s Causeway make up Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist destination. As many as 663,000 visitors flock to this stretch of the Antrim coast each year, hoping to take in the epic widescreen vista that is the staple of so many computer screensavers around the world.
On arriving at the UNESCO-listed site, however, visitors quickly discover that the Giant’s Causeway isn’t quite as epic as it seems. When the Irish Times put out a call on its social media for its readers to name the most overrated and underwhelming tourist attraction they had ever visited, the causeway’s interlocking basalt columns easily came out on top. Their size was what underwhelmed most, with one reader saying that it is "a very long walk for a small gathering of rocks."
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This 73-mile-long (117km) wall across Northern England was built on the orders of Emperor Hadrian, after he visited the area in AD 122 and decided to separate the barbarians from the Romans. It followed the dramatic undulating ridges running from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west, marking the northwest frontier of the Roman empire for nearly 300 years. Author George R. R. Martin has admitted that it was the inspiration for the Wall in his novels and in the TV series, Game of Thrones.
Perhaps that’s why fans of the popular TV series visiting Hadrian’s Wall have been left underwhelmed. Instead of a 700-feet-high (213m) wall made of solid ice, they are met with a crumbling wall that barely comes up to their waist. Similarly, fans of Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves are met with disappointment too upon visiting Sycamore Gap – an iconic location featured in the 1991 movie. The 300-year-old tree that marked the spot was cut down in a senseless act of vandalism in September 2023, causing outrage around the UK.
Gorgeous Loch Ness is one of the prettiest spots in the Scottish Highlands. Lying in the Great Glen, it is 788 feet (240m) deep and 23 miles (36km) long and holds the largest volume of fresh water in Great Britain. It is vast and tranquil, with the picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle only adding to its charm. Most visitors, however, come hoping to spot Nessie, the legendary Loch Ness Monster, said to inhabit the loch’s chilly depths.
The legend of a monster inhabiting the loch dates back to ancient times with a local stone carving by the Pict depicting a mysterious beast with flippers. But it was a grainy photo taken in 1934 by a doctor named Robert Kenneth Wilson that really sparked interest in Nessie, as the mysterious aquatic creature became known. Since then, various scientific expeditions have failed to find any trace of the creature. That hasn’t stopped thousands of people from around the world descending on Loch Ness each year, hoping to spot the monster, only to leave disappointed.
It may be hard to believe, but a zebra crossing in the London suburb of St John’s Wood is one of the capital’s most popular attractions. It was made famous by The Beatles, who shot the cover of their album, Abbey Road, here. The crossing is located just outside the EMI studios (now known as Abbey Road Studios) where they were recording, with the iconic photo being captured before they settled in for the day on 8 August 1969. It has since been parodied by everyone from The Simpsons to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Whichever way you dress it, however, the fact remains that the Abbey Road crossing is just a normal pedestrian crossing in North London. Fans of The Beatles, who have descended on the crossing to recreate the famous cover for themselves, have taken to Tripadvisor to express their disappointment that the road was actually used by cars and that traffic ruined the whole experience. ‘The road is way too busy to get a decent picture without risking your life,’ wrote one disgruntled visitor. Imagine how the local drivers feel.
This tourist village folly sits on a peninsula overlooking the estuary of the River Dwyryd, bringing a little of the colour and dolce vita of Italy to North Wales. It was created by Welsh architect Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis who was so enamoured by Portofino that he decided to create his own version, collecting bits and pieces from disintegrating stately mansions and incorporating them into his own Italianate creations. Most are available as holiday lets. Others house cafés, restaurants and gift shops. With over 200,000 visitors each year, it is one of Wales’ most popular attractions.
That’s not to say that Portmeirion Village is universally loved. One visitor took to Tripadvisor to complain that the village was ‘basically a kitschy Victorian era Disneyland, but without rides and entertainment.’ The high entrance fee leads to disgruntlement too, with reviewers calling the village a ‘lame tourist trap’ that was ‘tacky, boring and a waste of money.’ A lack of maintenance has seen the village lose much of its sparkle too, with one reviewer saying Portmeirion was now ‘dirty and rundown'.
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Perched on a bend of the Avon River, Warwick Castle is a magnificent medieval fort, built on the spot William the Conqueror built a wooden motte-and-bailey castle in 1068. This mighty castle held firm during the Wars of the Roses and the English Civil War and has played a crucial role in British history. It remains one of the best-preserved castles in the UK, welcoming over 750,000 visitors within its imposing walls each year.
The castle is privately owned and run by the Merlin Entertainments, a group that also operates other top UK attractions like Legoland, the London Eye and Alton Towers. This has led to some visitors feeling that the emphasis isn’t on the epic history of the site, but rather kitschy entertainment you have to pay for. 'Merlin and Warwick Castle do not care about your experience or the history of this English landmark,’ wrote Mark G. 'They only want your cash. Be prepared for disappointment.'
When the Tate Trustees decided to create a separate gallery for international modern and contemporary art in London in the early 1990s, they were determined that it would be housed in a truly iconic building. They settled upon the former Bankside Power Station, a vast monolith on the banks of the Thames, almost directly opposite St Paul’s Cathedral. It fell to Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron to set about converting the building into a gallery. Since it opened in May 2000, more than 40 million people have visited the Tate Modern.
The gallery has a collection of nearly 78,000 works of modern and contemporary art and offers both free and paid exhibitions. The repurposed turbine hall (pictured) is an awe-inspiring space, 115 feet (35m) high and 499 feet (152m) long, that has housed breathtaking installations by Louise Bourgeois, Olafur Eliasson and Ai Weiwei. But in a recent study, the Tate Modern was named the UK’s most disappointing attraction, with 23% of visitors left underwhelmed. Sam M, on Tripadvisor agrees. 'Really boring,' he wrote. 'The whole building had no atmosphere.'
Cardiff Castle sits in the heart of the Welsh capital, just a short rugby punt from the Principality Stadium. Throughout its 2,000-year history it has served as a Roman fort, a Norman stronghold and a Victorian Gothic fantasy palace. The medieval keep, sitting atop a mound, is its most striking feature and a picturesque backdrop to the outer green that visitors are welcome to wander free of charge.
In a recent survey that analysed ratings and reviews on Tripadvisor though, Cardiff Castle ranked as the ninth most disappointing UK landmark. It was the worst performing Welsh entry on the list, with many reviewers complaining that the entrance fee to see the fabulously ornate Victorian stateroom was vastly overpriced. Elsewhere, Tripadvisor user Amandadesiecle was put off by the castle's rules and restrictions. 'Do Not Touch. No Entry Signs. Ropes everywhere,' she wrote. 'And definitely no access to winding steps and turrets.'
Blackpool’s famous tower opened in 1894 and quickly became not only one of Blackpool's most popular attractions, but one of Britain's best-loved landmarks. Standing 518 feet (158m) tall, it is still the 120th tallest freestanding tower in the world. Its design was inspired by Paris' famous Eiffel Tower, which opened five years earlier. Unlike its Parisian counterpart though, Blackpool Tower boasts a Grade I-listed ballroom that's perched on the third level. The venue is still used for international competitions and, more famously, for the ‘Blackpool Special’ week on Britain’s long-running dance show, Strictly Come Dancing.
Despite the glitz and glamour that Strictly brings to the tower, a recent study found that Blackpool Tower was the most complained-about attraction in the UK and the second-most complained about in the world, after France’s Palace of Versailles. Out of all the reviews provided, 9.4% of them deemed the experience of visiting the tower as 'poor' or 'terrible'. Many have complained that the entry price was too steep, despite it including entrance to all six parts of the tower, including a circus, an aquarium, a dungeon, a Madame Tussauds and the aforementioned world-famous ballroom.
Standing proudly atop the former site of a colliery pithead bath, Antony Gormley’s epic Angel of the North Statue dominates the surrounding countryside. It stands 66 feet (20m) high, weighs 200 tonnes and has a wingspan of 175 feet (54m), bigger than that of a Boeing 767 jet. Since it first spread its wings in February 1998, just south of Gateshead, near Newcastle Upon Tyne, it has quickly become one of the most recognisable pieces of public art in the UK.
So, how is it that such a monumental work of art has come to be regarded as overrated? Quite simply, this magnificent artwork has fallen foul of the modern scourge of ‘Instagram versus Reality.’ When you see a photo of the statue it invariably appears alone and remote, gazing, seemingly into the middle distance of a vast open space. The reality is that it stands beside the busy A1 highway, seen by more than 90,000 motorists every day, prompting one reviewer on Tripadvisor to write that the location was ‘ridiculous – off a busy road with no other attractions or points of interest nearby.'
The Royal Mile sits in the heart of the Scottish capital and is steeped in the city’s colourful history. It runs through the centre of Edinburgh’s Old Town, connecting the imposing Edinburgh Castle, perched on its basalt eyrie, with the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Tourists walk its length, strolling through history, past royal palaces, towering tenements, cobbled alleyways and stern churches where monumental events and humdrum daily life have played out for centuries.
Although walking the Royal Mile is considered a ‘must-do’ by most visitors to Edinburgh, the experience has left an increasing number of them jaded. The castle recently ranked eighth on a list of the UK’s most disappointing landmarks. And the Mile itself has drawn ire on Tripadvisor, mainly because of the tacky souvenir shops that have taken over the strip. 'Full of shops selling the same tartan tat,' writes leisure_lovers_uk.
Land’s End in the far reaches of Cornwall has been drawing visitors to its dramatic sea cliffs since the Mesolithic times (10,000-4,000 BC). The ancient Greeks called it Belerion, meaning ‘Place of the Sun’. Just offshore, if you believe the myths, lies the ‘Lost Land of Lyonesse’, part of King Arthur’s realm, swallowed by the sea. More than 500,000 visitors from around the world travel to Land’s End every year, some to embark on an epic adventure by bicycle or on foot to John O’Groats in Scotland – the longest journey across mainland Britain.
Although renowned as a place of natural beauty, Land’s End is also home to a busy tourist complex featuring rides, arcades, restaurants and a famous signpost showing the distance to other places in the UK and around the world. It is fair to say that this commercialisation has left a number of visitors nonplussed. 'It’s an overpriced tourist trap that isn’t even the most southern point of the mainland UK,' wrote Throwaway91847817 on Reddit. 'Go to Lizard Point instead.' Taking to Tripadvisor, RichardCambs was even less impressed: '£10 to have your photo taken with the sign says it all. AVOID.'
York’s famous Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe and one of this beautiful city’s most famous attractions. Once the city’s butcher district, the narrow streets and overhanging buildings were designed to keep meat out of direct sunlight. If you look closely you can still see exterior wooden shelves that the various cuts were displayed on. More recently, the street is said to have been the inspiration behind Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter movies.
Indeed, it is this association with Harry Potter that has led to disappointment for many visitors to The Shambles. The connection with the phenomenally successful movie franchise and one of its fictional locations, where Harry stocked up on all his wizarding needs, has seen the bustling independent cafés, craft shops and fudge makers that gave The Shambles its character being pushed out. 'It's just Harry Potter shop after Harry Potter shop,' bemoaned PaulBBN on Reddit.
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